Hugo didn't have to wait much and the door opened. He looked inside "Professor, what...happened in here?" it was so COOL though. He jumped on one of the lily pads, "Why you changed your office?" he didn't mind but yeah, this was unusual for a professor's office.

Well, this was normal, considering it was Myers' office.

Isabella nodded vehemently. She did not need help in her classes. Maybe next year, but not yet. "Yes, sir!" she said. "It's a lot of hard work, but I always get it eventually!" She giggled when Professor Myers said that being top of the class didn't matter after school. Someone should tell her parents that. Then, when Myers said he did not in fact know her mother, she let a silent sigh of relief. It would be weird to have her head of house know her mother. Too, too weird.

Magic is hard. Isabella tried not to laugh as Myers made up some tips on the spot. Generic, but still accurate. Especially since Isabella usually did fail the first time when she tried new spells. "Thank you, Professor," she said as seriously as she could. "I will keep trying my best." She would never admit it, but Isabella was glad she'd heeded her mother's advice to visit her professor. He was much less intimidating now that she'd seen him in his natural habitat.

"I should let you get back to making waves for your dog," she said, turning to go. Hopefully he would wait until she was on solid ground if he wanted to bounce on the lily pads again, though. Otherwise she'd probably fall in.

How sad. Esme wondered how much Professor Myers was missing his dog. She herself missed Lucy while she was away at school. "At least he's happy at home. My dog loves being at home too, but she misses me and my sister when we are away. Sometimes I wish that she could come to Hogwarts with us." There WERE special circumstances where other pets could come to the school, but for one thing she didn't think that her mother would let it happen. Dogs needed a lot of attention and it would be hard to give when they had to deal with classes and homework. Of course knowing that didn't make things any easier. At least there was Sparkle, who went with her just about everywhere.

Swimming in the lake sounded like a lot of fun though she had never done it before. "When it's nice and warm maybe we can all swim in the lake!" Sounded pretty fun to Esme, squid aside. She had never been in the water at Hogwarts before and there didn't appear to be any real danger in trying it out. No one had been dragged to their death as far as she knew and if Professors were around things should be extra safe. People had been swimming in the lake for ages and she wanted a part of it at some point.

Anyway Professor Myers was amazing.

"Thank you so much, sir. You really ARE the best!" Imagine there being a Skittle fountain in the common room. It would be absolutely amazing. Even though she wasn't huge on candy in general they were among her favourites because they were fruity and delicious. Juno would be hearing about this later for sure!

It was all so quick!

One minute, he could tell Rooney was legitimately trying to explain why he did not like Blaise. Paul didn't even get a chance to referee, reply, or anything. Because BLAISE BELLAIRE APPARENTLY KISSED CHARLOTTE KETTLEBURN. Merlin, they were young. Paul's love of gossip had this information instantly filed away, but STILL.

THE DRAMA.

He wanted a TV show purely based off of Hogwarts drama happenings. It would never happen, but you know, a man could dream.

He quickly raised his wand and lifted the boy out of the water and onto an empty, large lily-pad. He immediately began a drying spell, sighing. "I am so sorry, Mr. Bellaire. I do think you upset him though..." Paul was not aware that this was Blaise's goal OR that Blaise had won any sort of "battle."

"Are you okay?"

Sigh. He felt just awful for Mr. Bronwyn.

Paul laughed. "I...well it's still back there!" he nodded at the door behind him. "But it's so dull, sitting in an office all day, you know? SOOO I made this area the meeting space with you all. I'll change it up a lot...I already know what I want next in here."

Hehe.

But that would be a surprise.

He flopped back onto a lily-pad and tried to relaaaaaax.



Isabella seemed like such a nice young woman. He just smiled over at her while she spoke. "Anytime, m'dear. I'm so glad you're in Hufflepuff. You're going to make a fine badger," he said with a nod. "And I'm sure that you'll do just fine in school. Tell your mother you visited me, all right? So she can have some peace of mind." And not nag her daughter to pay him a visit anymore!

"All right! Stop by any time, okay? My door's always open! Well not physically but metaphorically, yes of course!" he chortled to himself.



"I think it would just so hard to have a dog while here at school...as a student, you know?" he said with a sigh. "Cats require work, yes, but not like dogs. I feel dogs would get very lonely." Maybe that was why they weren't allowed. "But my Zelda seems fine, so I'm quite happy about that." T h a n k M e r l i n.

Well. Paul didn't know if HE would ever swim in the lake. Sure, he waded in the shallow part to collect different seaweeds and other things for his composts, but...swim. He couldn't imagine it. There were so many THINGS living in the lake..."Maybe I'll take Zelda. Who knows." It was much too cold right now, obviously.

And...now Paul had to find a skittles fountain.

Well.

Okay.

"Just be patient...I promise I'll make it happen before the term is up!"

Professor Myers had a point and it was the same one that her mother had made a few terms ago. Esme had been a sad First Year during her first ride to Hogwarts but she had understood it was for the best; didn't mean that she had to like it. "I thought that special allowances could be made with permission from the Head, I guess that was just a rumor." Too bad but it was what it was. Not like it would have really made a difference since she wasn't allowed Lucy in the first place. Maybe only staff were allowed. At least she could see Professor Myers' dogs. "I would like to meet her!" She seemed like a happy dog which was always nice.

Nod. That was probably for the best. "The Giant Squid hasn't pulled anyone down to their watery deaths, has he?" Maybe a bit melodramatic but Esme wanted to know. She hadn't HEARD anything like that so it probably wasn't true... but it didn't hurt to ask. As far as she knew he could just as easily be the nicest squid in the world.

"I promise that I can be patient! Is there anything I can do to help?" SHE DIDN'T KNOW. It was nice to offer though. Her parents had taught her well.

This was a disaster and it had Poncho Pauls nickname written allover it. James was not a happy camper. Ever really, but especially not write now. Write now he was a very unhappy, sour camper. Worse than normal, I'm afraid. And with that he marched write up to Poncho's door and gave it some firm, impatient knocks.

Where is our dog, Paul?

Of course James had turned down the playdate offer, so Paul had to steal Merlin to force one. No man who liked flowers that much could be trusted. What kind of man loves flowers that much? A ridiculous one. That's who.

... WAS HE GOING TO GET THE DOOR, OR WHAT?

Eh. Paul could be wrong. "I thought the headmaster...yes..." he shrugged. "Whatever the case-I don't think a dog would enjoy staying in a dorm very much." Unless it was a small dog like a poodle or...something. He checked his watch, though, and GAH he was running late for a cup of tea with Art--Paul stood up and sighed. "I'm afraid I must kick you out--you can meet Zelda another time, I promise!" he smiled.

"And no no, don't worry about it! I'll get it to happen! At some point..." maybe after Christmas break?

Sleeping.

Poncho Paul was SLEEEEEEPING HELLO.

He was all the way in his actual office sleeping, too, and he of COURSE didn't hear the door until...he jerked awake and ran from his office, through the lily-padded room, and threw open the door to see James.

He was bleary-eyed, yawning, and half asleep. "Y-yes?" he asked softly, sure that he had BED BREATH.

It was about TIME. Geez. Some people actually had WORK to do. Unlike Poncho over here, some members on staff actually took their jobs seriously. He waited impatiently, still as he stood behind the closed door. Waiting for all the scrambling on the other side to stop and for the door to finally--

OPEN.

Was that so hard?

.... "You look miserable, Paul," like he had just woken up from the dead. Also, his breath smelled like the dead too.

But anyways, Poncho's unruly appearance was not the purpose of this little visit. This was a crime scene. And James intended on catching the man red handed so he had to get past the hippy in question to enter the office and find the evidence for himself first hand.

With the one goal in mind, James marched right in (sort of pushing Paul in the process as he passed). "AHA, Just as I suspected you--" Wait a minute. There were three things wrong in this scenario.

1. Merlin was nowhere in sight
2. This was exactly not as James suspected
3. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?????" With hands thrown in the air, gesturing that the THIS in question meant WHAT THE HECK DID PONCHO DO TO HIS OFFICE???? ... Was Poncho a frog in a formal life because that James wouldn't find hard to believe.

Need Rose Thorns!

Kitty needed thorns. The light - the song, needed them.

She had already crawled through the garden. Next she came to the professor's office. Still on her knees.

Knock. Knock.

Kitty knocked weekly on his door. Vaguely she was aware that he might know where rose thorns were. She knew they were here, but she wanted to find them quickly.

"Kitty wants thorns!"

Miserable was not the word Paul would have used. Honestly, he was just TIRED. James had awoken him from such a peaceful sleep...still rubbing his eyes, and he snorted. "It's my meeting space...an office stifles the conversation, James," Paul said as if James should have just KNOWN this, duh.

"Why...in Merlin's beard...are you banging on my door, anyways?! I was c-c-catching on sleeeeeeeeep--" Paul said mid-yawn, stretching his arms above him. "You seem simply jovial today." Ahem.

Who had peed in his cheerios?

Well.

That was certainly something to hear yelled through the door, and it startled Paul quite a bit--and something ELSE startled him as well. He had never taken down the charms from his Greenhouses after the Daxton incident in the very beginning of term--so.........they were going off. And it seemed lots of students had decided to spend their evenings in there--which was odd, to say the least, and Paul had just grabbed his wand to go check on them when he heard KITTY NEEDS THORNS.

Well...

Paul opened the door and squinted down at the girl CRAWLING towards his door. "Kitty--Miss Valentine--get UP--what in Merlin's name is going on?"

Fiyero's anger was starting to turn to panic as he approached Professor Myers's office. So far today, he'd encountered two students ransacking various parts of the castle. Both were acting like they were looking for something, and both had been completely unresponsive to him. It was like they had their minds wiped or something... that couldn't be a coincidence!

Pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind, he knocked on the door. "Excuse me? Professor Myers?" he said through the door, hoping he would be there."I need your help with something."

Paul was still dealing with Kitty, but when he heard the knock, he opened the door and quickly stepped OUT of the lily-padded room because the last thing he needed was a...odd-acting student to fall into the water in his office.

Merlin.

He took Kitty's hand because he didn't know what else to do and raised an eyebrow at Fiyero. "Yes yes, m'boy? What is it? Miss Valentine is behaving VERY oddly and I need to tend to her--and check on my Greenhouses--so make it quick!" he said worriedly.

Kitty looked up at the professor from her kneeling position.

"Kitty wants rose thorns. Professor has rose thorns. Kitty want."

He told her to get up. Would he give her the thorns if she got up?

Slowly, Kitty stood, though a bit hunched over. She allowed the Professor to take her hand as another student came and said something Kitty didn't understand.

"Professor help Kitty find rose thorns."

Please?

Fiyero was taken aback by Professor Myers's tone. That wasn't like him at all; he was usually so easygoing! He soon understood the reason for the professor's worry as a girl appeared at his side. She had the same blank, staring eyes as the other two students he'd seen earlier. Now Fiyero was completely convinced something was wrong!

"Professor, someone ransacked the dorm and did this to my rose plant," he said as fast as he could -hey, Myers told him to make it quick, right? He held up his ruined rose. The stems were limp and broken, and the roses were missing most if their petals. "I was wondering if there was any way to save-" His mind trailed off ad the girl beside Myers said something about wanting rose thorns. What were the odds that he just happened to have exactly whst she was looking for?

"Never mind." Fiyero really did not want to part with his rosebush, but it looked like this girl needed it a lot more than he did. Maybe if he gave it to her, it would calm her (and Professor Myers) down. Besides, it was probably dead anyway...

He turned to the girl. "You want rose thorns?" He handed the plant to her. "Here, take them." He really hoped she understood what he was saying!

"Sorry to bother you, Professor."

Thorns. Why did she want thorns?! Paul's eyebrow twitched.

Ransacked dorms?! Rose plant? RUINED? Paul blinked and felt overwhelmed and like he might keel over and died right this minute.

Only...he didn't.

"Fiyero...take Kitty to the Hospital Wing. I'll come meet you in there soon--I have a feeling my GREENHOUSES are being ransacked as we speak--" just a terrible awful feeling like that ;___; "We can talk about getting you a new rose plant later, m'boy, okay?" He smiled nervously, but reassuringly nonetheless, and shuffled off to check on the Greenhouses.

"Yes, Professor," Fiyero said with a resolute nod. Now he was really worried, not so much for his rose anymore but for Kitty (and the other students he'd seen acting just like her)! And he had absolutely no idea how he was going to get Kitty to come with him...

Then an idea occurred to him! "You still want these?" he asked Kitty, gesturing to the thorns on his rosebush. "I'll let you have all of them, but first you have to follow me." He wasn't sure whether ir not she understood him, so he tried again, this time emulating her speech patterns. "Fiyero give Kitty thorns... if Kitty come with Fiyero." Man, it felt weird talking like that!

At his wit's end, he grabbed her hand and tried to pull her away. He hoped she wouldn't be too angry about him holding her hand. It was for her own good, after all! Maybe she'd understand when she got better...

"Rose Thorns!" Kitty squealed with delight as the boy offered her hos rose thorns. Success!

But he only give them to Kitty if she go with him...? Kitty stared blankly at him but offered no resistance as he took her hand.

"Kitty go with Fiyero," she repeated. "Fiyero give Kitty thorns. Then Kitty give thorns to song."

She grabbed the roses with her other hand.

LOL James Draper eating CHEERIOS? Not likely. He'd leave that foolishness to Poncho Paul. If Poncho was a cereal he'd be cheerios. Maybe cornflakes.

.... "........" What? Was he being serious? An office stifles the conversation??? Students knew what they were signing up for, Paul. The very terms 'office visit' implied an office. Honestly, what a fool. "Right." Would it be rude to point out the fact that he was being utterly ridiculous? "And your... Lilpads are meant to do what exactly?" Because James didn't see how they would help in "unstifling" conversation. Case and point. Judgement may have been oozing from his tone. But well, he had held back his tongue for the most part.

"Awfully late in the day for a nap, Paul." To point out the obvious. "But now that you ask, my dog is missing. And I know you know where he is." So there wasn't any point in trying to deny it. The hippy might as well just give in now.

Well, wasn't it obvious? "The lily-pads are supposed to make conversation STIMULATING and interesting. And the students can jump on them while we speak--thus increasing their focus and positive energy." He gave a little bounce on his lily-pad, splashing James' shoes with the water in the process.

Well oops.

"It's never too late OR too early for a nap, James. The concept of time doesn't even really exist, you know? Time is a human-made thing." Did James understand that?

....

"Merlin is missing? Well--now that you mention it--Zelda isn't around..." his heart plummeted into his stomach. "THEY'VE BEEN DOG-NAPPED!" Whatever the ransom, Paul and Milton were willing to pay! Paul shuffled out of his meeting space-----still barefoot------and ran for his garden, because they'd certainly see foot prints out there or around the greenhouses, right?!

No actually, it wasn't obvious. It was ridiculous. James scoffed. The only conversations the lily-pads would stimulate were conversations surrounding the fact that Poncho Paul Myers was in fact, a lunatic. "How..." Stupid? "interesting," was the word he settled on knowing very well that Poncho would find a way to make anything sound like a compliment. As long as the man didn't try to force his hippy dippy ways upon the rest of the staff members, James didn't care what the man chose to sit on. But he did gave a hard glare upon the splashing at his leather shoes.

DO you mind, PAUL?

............................................... The more Poncho said, the more James wanted to walk away. If his eyes didn't manage to roll to the back of his head by the end of this entire conversation, it'd be a miracle.

Aka: No comment.

Dog-napped? What a ridiculous-- But what was so ridiculous about it would have to wait because Paul had already bolted for the door. Seeing no sense in urgency, as dog-napping was A HIGHLY ILLOGICAL explanation for this, James casually sauntered behind choosing to take his time in following the man out of the door.

Where exactly was he going? Not bothering to close the "lily-pad room door' on his way out, James followed the hippy to wherever they were on their way to.

She'd considered loitering around right after class, but had thought better of it, mainly because, well, duh, lunch was being served in the Great Hall. Herbology was clearly hungry work for a second year like her, and she needed her sustenance. She also didn't want to run the risk of no seconds on one of her favourite meals.

But after a good helping (or three) of bangers and mash, she'd doubled back round to Myers' office, er, meeting place-space-thing to ask him about something that had been bugging her. Because clearly, she was missing out on some nugget of information that would make sense of whatever Myers had been wearing and talking about in lessons. She knew others got it, so why didn't she? Surely it wasn't just some elaborate joke at the second year's expense?

She knocked lightly on the door, before shoving her hands in her pockets and rocking lightly on her feet.

Knock knock knock.

Paul had taken off his costume already and donned some sweatpants and a comfortable t-shirt. He was actually in his OFFICE, reading the some second rate newspaper since the Prophet was still.......not back yet. Sigh.

The meeting space separated his office from the door Sam was currently knocking on. If his dog hadn't looked up in the direction of the knock from TWO doors away, Paul wouldn't have heard it! Luckily he did, and so he folded up his paper and made his way from his desk into the next room, the ball pit meeting space room.

He swam through the ball pit and got up on the little "dock" before opening the door, smiling when he saw little Sam. "Hello, Sam! Didn't get enough of me in class today?" he asked, chipper as ever. "Come right in!" and he gestured her inside!

She continued to rock back and forth, hands still in her robes pockets, when the door open. "Hi Professor!" she greeted, a distinct look of relief sweeping across her face when she saw he'd changed outfit. That ma-hoosive hat must have been getting annoying, no?

"I wondered if I could ask y-" she continued as she stepped forward to enter the office, only to cut off short when she saw inside. She hadn't seen anything close to like it before. "Er, Professor...what happened to your floor? It seems to be covered in balls."

For the record, she did nothing! Hands were still very much in her pockets, thank you very much. No pranks going on here.

Paul nodded, waiting for the question. Which, apparently, he'd have to wait longer for. He chuckled. "Oh, I know, m'dear!" And he suddenly fell backwards into the ball pit, then did a backward swim stroke through them. "I can't have a normal office! It's just TOO DULL!" The five year old that was trapped in Paul's body really appreciated the ball pit YAH.

He threw a ball at her, CACKLING as he dipped under a whole bunch of them.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

"Yeh knew?" she replied incredulously. And then she saw the Professor falling backwards, only reacting too slowly to do anything other than wince and start to call out "Profess-!"Seemingly, all was okay though. Apparently this was meant to be the opposite of a dull office, though at the moment, it seemed very much like yet another concept of Myers' she didn't understand.

The Ravenclaw nervously dipped her foot into the ball pit as if she was checking the temperature of the water at a swimming pool. The balls were light, she could gather that much, and she started lowered herself down further when a ball was throw at her. He head whipped round to where she'd last seen Myers on the surface of the balls.

"Oi, dat's no fair, Mister!" she called out, picking up a ball in her left hand as she scoured the pit for a hint of movement. She'd be throwing it at him as soon as his head reappeared.

Patience was the game here...and, at the same time, she miiiight be starting to see quite how awesome a ball pit could be.